MESSAGE ON THE COMMENCEMENT OF HOLY AND GREAT LENT

To the clergy, monastics and faithful of our God-protected Diocese:

Blessed be the upcoming Great Paschal Lent which brings us into the Lord's and our Pascha—through the Cross and Resurrection—Christ's and ours in Him.

This Sunday we look to forgiveness as we enter the holy journey of Great Lent. On this day we are reminded of Adam and Eve's banishment from Paradise and of their failure to remain faithful to the gift of personal communion with God.

Now, my beloved, through the practice of fasting, the Church—and fasting is our obedience to the Church—invites us to liberate ourselves from our self-sufficiency and to offer the fruits of Lent—joy, meekness, peace, mercifulness—to our beloved ones and to those in need. 

As the sacred hymnography of the Church urges us, all the ascetic elements—fasting, abstinence, frugality, restriction of personal desires, intense prayer, and confession—are essential to the period of Great Lent and should not be considered burdensome obligations or unbearable duties that result in despondency or dejection. 

All these ascetical efforts and all cleansing from the passions are in essence  preconditions  for our Eucharistic communion with God, and this communion cannot be understood apart from love. Just as the sacrifice on the Cross takes its meaning from the Resurrection, so all our Lenten effort finds their fulfillment in Holy Communion. 

Let us be obedient to the counsel of the Church and understand the practice of fasting just as She prescribes. In doing so we will walk together with Christ to Golgotha and rejoice with Him on the Feast of Feasts! 

In inviting you to the “opened arena of virtues” from our episcopal seat, I extend to all of you my paternal prayer and spiritual blessing for a fruitful journey through the period of Great Lent, asking your forgiveness. 

Given this Day of Forgiveness February 14th , 2010 at Alhambra, California. 

Love and paternal blessings,

Bishop MAXIM

 

ON THE BEGINNING OF GREAT LENT,
THE HOLY AND SAVING FORTY DAYS

Let us begin the Fast with joy. Let us give ourselves to spiritual efforts. Let us cleanse our souls. Let us cleanse our flesh. Let us fast from passions as we fast from foods, taking pleasure in the good works of the Spirit and accomplishing them in love that we all may be made worthy to see the passion of Christ our God and His Holy Pascha, rejoicing with spiritual joy."
—Hymn on the 1st day of Great Lent

In the Tradition of the Holy Orthodox Church, today is known as “Clean Monday.” It is the day on which we, the Church, joyously begin Great Lent The happy, springtime atmosphere of Clean Monday sets the tone for the Lenten spirit of repentance and self-control, as described by Jesus our Lord in the Gospel:

“When you fast, do not be like the hypocrites, with a sad countenance. For they disfigure their faces that they may appear to men to be fasting. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face, so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” —Matthew 6: 16-18

This spirit is also reflected in the writings of many of the saints and spiritual fathers such as these words by Saint Basil the Great:

"Let us fast an acceptable and very pleasing fast to the Lord. True fast is the estrangement from evil, temperance of tongue, abstinence from anger, separation from desires, slander, falsehood, and perjury. Privation of these is true fasting."


Some Orthodox Christians have the custom of going out to parks with their children, fly kites, and spend time outdoors in the natural beauty of God’s Creation. This custom serves to break through our routine in order to take time for the simple things of life and see the goodness and beauty in all that God does for us!

May our Lenten effort prove to be fruitful, as we strive to do our best, so that these days may truly be the “holy and saving forty days!

Fr. Nicholas Ceko, Dean